With nothing new learned from the other travelers, you turn in.
-FIRST DAY OF HUNTING-
You enter into the Sesang Jungle
Count Matsanda and Baron Rudyahm ride in a howdah on the elephant’s back, accompanied by their mahout. The howdah is an elaborate wooden affair that can hold three occupants and one driver. The rest of you are and a dozen other hunters and porters are on foot, traveling along the fifteen feet wide path. Game is scarce on the first day of the safari. The baron shouts down, "The animals are skittish this close to the hunting lodge, and the real trophies are to be found deeper in the jungle!" At the end of the first day the hunting party sets up camp in a clearing atop a low rise. The night passes uneventfully.
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As they go Teke uses his basic aerokineses talent to help keep himself and others cool in the sweltering heat. If the elephant is really stinky he will instead use its power to make the elephant "always count as being downwind for the purpose of determining the distance at which they can be detected by scent."
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A light sheen of sweat beads Alarin’s brow as he walks through the jungle. Luckily a breeze follows him everywhere he goes and helps keep the oppressive heat at bay. Though just barely. He began the journey following the elephant, but a close encounter with a large dropping soon convinced him to lead the giant beast instead.
As the expedition heads deeper into the jungle he takes notes and asks the locals about the local flora and fauna.
Halfway through the day he crushes up his maps when he realizes they are way off.
-SECOND DAY OF HUNTING-
Early in the morning, you hear a loud crash coming from the Count Matsanda's tent. You quickly scramble out of your tents and run towards the center of camp. Baron Rudyahm reaches the tent just ahead of you. “What the devil happened in here?!” he asks as he enters. When you follow him inside, you see Count Matsanda lying on the bed clutching his bare right foot in writhing pain.
The interior of this spacious canvas tent is richly decorated with portable darkwood and silver furnishings. Torn mosquito netting hangs above the bed, and a mirror, basin, and various shaving implements lie scattered on the ground. A black leather boot lies on the floor next to the crumpled remains of a large black spider.
The count replies in a fearful voice, “Something in my boot bit me—a spider I think. I fell back onto the bed in surprise. My god, Rudyahm, what if it’s poisonous? I could lose the foot! You brought some antitoxin, didn’t you? Fetch it quickly!” Unfazed, the baron replies, “Ah, bit of luck then. The spiders of Segang aren’t dangerous, not like the scorpions. It’ll probably smart for a bit, that’s all. Next time, check your damn boots!”
Count Matsanda is not assured by the promises of his father-in-law, and the two men begin to argue.
“Don't be such a pansy!”
“Well it F&+&ING hurts!”
“I've seen bigger cuts shaving!”
"You can shave my- ! Now give me the antitoxin!”
“You're fine and gonna waste it!”
Both nobles look to you to come to their side of argument.
[Game on. Hopefully]
Ito can see a trickle of blood running down Matsanda's elevated care foot but can't diagnose it further.
Other than the smashed spider laying next to Matsanda's boots, there are no other threats in the tent. Teke can see two small holes where the fangs sunk in, although there is no swelling as one might expect.
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I have no skill in medicine, and I agree with the Baron that we must conserve our resources wisely. However, is this not what antitoxin is made for? We must weigh the cost of a dose of antitoxin versus the cost of the Count losing a foot and becoming a liability. It seems to me the antitoxin is the better choice.
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Alarin knows little about exotic spiders, but he is cautious with limited resources, including the resources posed by their patrons on this hunt. Count Matsanda may have arranged passage to the area, but it will be the Baron who lets the Pathfinders explore it.
To Matsanda, ”My lord, we should not be hasty. Aside from pain, do you feel anything else? Weakness, or confusion? An antitoxin could help with poisoning, but if the Baron is correct then you would be consuming a resource meant for emergencies. And if you are later bit by a scorpion you will be in real danger. Also, antitoxins may have side effects, so you could make yourself sick without reason. There is dignity in fighting through pain, but little when one’s arse is glued to a chamber pot.”
Eazy seems to talk some sense into Rudyahm's ears, that the old hunter begins to pull out a small vial from his pack. Naruda doesn't recognize spiders of this species or their venom, nor does she know to treat it. Alarin begins to bolster the baron's view but without someone to lead the argument, it falls flat.
Eventually the baron relents with much reservation and complains the rest of the day about wasting good antitoxin.
[+1 favor pt for Matsanda]
***
Matsanda brings you all together later that the morning, "If it would please you, you are welcomed to join the safari for your own trophies. There are several extra crossbows and weapons which you can use. To keep in the spirit of tradition, I would advise against the use of magic unless you have no other means to deliver the killing blow. How about it?"
[Sorry Ito, you ninja'd me]
The forest resounds with chased animals and musket on this second day of the hunt.
To successfully bag an animal, the PC must succeed on an attack roll against the indicated Armor Class or touch Armor Class. The PC can use ranged or melee attacks, so long as they deal lethal damage. If a PC does not own a weapon, the count is happy to lend them a light or heavy crossbow. PCs may alternatively use a spell, spell-like ability, or supernatural ability so long as it deals lethal hit point damage; however, the use of magic is frowned upon by the nobles. On a success, the PC slays the animal. On a failure, the animal is either bagged by another hunter or it escapes into the jungle.
Make your single attack roll.
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Teke doesn't want to take down random game; picking on things that are weak and nonthreatening is how Chelish made slaves of his people in the first place. But it's their job and he'll go along for the hunt, and take a crossbow shot if he has an opportunity on a charging boar or buffalo or something else presenting an actual danger.
Mid morning, Ito and his trusty mount loses a dodgy jackal in the low bush, while Teke takes down a fearsome antelope with a heavy bolt. Around noon, Eazy shoots at a Rhinoceros but hits a rabbit instead. Meanwhile, Alarin stalks a wolf...
The magnificent wolf didn't suffer long and quickly succumbs to Alarin's aim.
Matsanda had been watching your skills with the hunt. He finally pulls you aside, “I’d really like to impress the old man today, but you see, I’m not much of a hunter,” he admits. “May I entrust a secret with you? In fact..., I’ve never really been hunting before! Is there any help or advice you can give me?”
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Naruda choses to use her own crossbow during the hunt. "I am not unfamiliar with hunting. We often hunted wild birds in the mountains of my village. I would prefer to use your bolts if possible though. The bolts I have are made for piercing mail shirts and I would rather not lose them hunting game."
When Matsanda confides in the group, Naruda talks to him about what she knows of animals. She points out some signs of water sources and some of the plants in the forest that might attract certain types of animals
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"Sure Matsanda, I can call on some local winds to keep your quarry from sniffing you out - just like with that elephant but way easier. I'll have to follow, but don't worry I can stay out of sight as well as any."
Teke is talking about using his basic aerokinesis on himself and Matsanda to make them harder to detect by scent. And his own stealth check to keep himself hidded or even to assist Matsanda where possible.
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Alarin listens to all the advice given by his companions. It’s all good advice, but it’s missing a key component that he feels he might be able to help with.
”Understanding your prey is important, as is tracking and laying traps, but in the end you need to strike true.”
Alarin gives Matsanda a lesson in archery.
After a long day of hunting, your Pathfinder group had bagged three trophies, Rudyahm and the other hunters with several of their own. In the failing light, with guidance from Naruda, Eazy, Teke and Alarin - Count Matsanda takes down a magnificent sloth bear! He shows off the kill to a very impressed Rudyahm, who’ve seemingly forgotten all about the spider this morning.
[+1 favor pt Matsanda]
***
On the morning of the hunt’s third day, the smell of wood smoke fills the camp as porters busy themselves tending various cooking fires. Outside the camp, the jungle is alive with the sounds of monkeys, birds, and chirping insects. The smell of food soon attracts the attention of a band of macaque monkeys that gather at the edge of the camp. A few of them eventually brave into the camp, overturning containers, stealing trinkets, and raiding unguarded food.
The local porters act reverentially toward the monkeys and offer them prayers along with bits of food and water. Baron Rudyahm, however...
Rudyahm laughs with a genuine smile and clapping hands at Ito's story, "When we waged ware against the Gorilla King ..."
-walks out of his tent, sees the simians and blares, "Goddamn monkeys! GET ME MY PISTOLS!!"
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These monkeys seem to be sacred to the porters and they may become angry at Rudyahm for mistreating them. They are still a nuisance, though. Perhaps we can get rid of them without violence.
Naruda stares at one of the rampaging primates and gentle chants. Sleep Hex DC 15
[ooc]To identify that these are in fact normal monkeys, and not demon monkeys.[/dice]
"Baron, I believe that they are just monkeys. There is no reason to waste your gunpowder on them."
Naruda can see that these are ordinary, although exotic, monkeys; however Rudyahm doesn't seem quelled by her assessment of the animals and keeps shouting for his pistols. Naruda catches the attention of a monkey eating an apple, whispers a lullaby, and the monkey flops flat asleep on its back. Seeing this, a nearby monkey screeches loudly. At the same time, Eazy takes the easy solution and turns a baby monkey into a pile of goo with a glob of arcane acid.
The monkeys go ape-$hit.
Initiative:
Primate Swarm: 22
Alarin: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Naruda: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Ito: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14
Ezekias: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Tshar: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10
Teke: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
The other monkeys starts screaming in a panic, leaping out from the bushes and branches all over the campgrounds, screeching and tearing everything in sight!
[standby for map before posting]
[Map up!]
A wave of monkeys slam into Eazy, tearing and gouging!
[All PCs up!]
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"Ezekias, I think you made them angry!"
Seeing the monkey's engulf Ezekias, Naruda quickly assesses the situation to figure out what may work against a swarm of furious monkeys.
Naruda draws her short spear as she moves along the edge of the swarm, thrusting the weapon into the crowd of swarming monkeys.
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Alarin considers going to retrieve Rudyahm’s pistols, to prevent him from making things worse, but the other Pathfinders jump into trouble with both feet, so he sees little choice but to bail them out.
Grabbing one of his wands, Alarin moves closer, judging the angles before letting loose a fan of flames over the swarm.